Recently, Flo sent in some great questions. She asked: “What do you mean when you say ‘There are no Bright Line Eating police,’ and ‘Do what gives you peace’? These sound like invitations to tinker with the Bright Lines. What do these statements look like when making food choices? Do they apply in weight loss as well as maintenance?”

It’s true: these phrases can sound like invitations to walk off the path. The part of you that worries about this is your Food Controller. This part of you loves the BLE structure and feels supported by it. It’s suspicious of anything that sounds like it’s not exactly sticking to the plan—because the plan works.

For your growth as a human being, though, you’ll eventually want to transfer the running of your BLE program from your Food Controller to your highest, Authentic Self. Your Authentic Self chooses to follow the plan because it knows it’s in your best interests.

Let me give you some examples, then, of what these phrases mean. Let’s say someone doesn’t like to eat three meals a day. They want to follow the food plan but break it into two meals. In this situation, when I say there are no BLE police, I mean that no one is going to knock on your door to accuse you of not following the plan. This is an example of doing what brings you peace, without worrying about what works for anyone else.

Another example: You’re in your first few weeks of Boot Camp, and are invited out to eat with a friend at a Thai restaurant. We generally recommend no restaurant meals during the first 30 days of Boot Camp. So, I can see “doing what gives you peace” going either of two ways. Maybe it means that you don’t go out to the restaurant, because you won’t have peace around it. Instead, you eat your meal in advance and meet your friend afterward for a cup of tea.

Or maybe you really, deeply, believe you’ll be fine. You’ve looked up the menu and chosen your meal, and you’ve called the restaurant to make sure they can do it without sugar. You have peace about going. In fact, you feel like you would not have peace about not going. So eating this meal out gives you peace, and that’s fine, too.

By saying “Do what gives you peace,” I’m not necessarily suggesting you deviate from the Bright Lines.

We also talk about how there are no Bright Line Eating police to reassure people who have broken their Bright Lines and fear they will be judged or ostracized from our community. We’re not judging you. We love you, support you, and want you here.

Finally, Flo asked if these phrases apply to both weight loss and maintenance. The earlier you are in your Bright Line journey, the more I’d recommend that you follow the plan exactly as it’s laid out. The longer you are into maintenance, the more your brain is healed, and the better able it is to embrace these sayings.

And if you feel better just following the fabulous plan, JFTFP by all means, do that.

I also have an announcement for you today: I have 20 full scholarships for the next Book Camp available if you wish to apply. Applications are being accepted between May 15 and 19, 2024, for the Book Camp that starts June 13, 2024. There’s a link on this page that explains what you need to know and how to apply.

*Applications for a Boot Camp 2.0 scholarship are now closed.